The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) has once again been recognized by Mediacorp Canada Inc as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers. This is the ninth consecutive year in which BDC has been recognized in Mediacorp's annual national competition. The Montréal-based BDC offers loans, consulting services, growth and business transition capital, securitization, and venture capital to more than 30,000 small and medium-sized companies in Canada.
2 min read · 04 November 2014
Mérieux Développement, the private equity investment arm of Institut Mérieux, has launched a new vehicle with a total commitment of €150 million ($212 million) to invest in healthcare and nutrition sectors. As part of a partnership agreement, Sienna Capital, an affiliate of Belgium's Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL), has committed €75 million ($106 million) to Mérieux, most of which will be dedicated to the new vehicle. GBL is controlled in part by Canada's Desmarais family. Mérieux Développement is based in Lyon, France.
3 min read · 04 November 2014
Intel Capital has joined PrecisionHawk's previously announced US$10 million Series B financing round. Also, Tammi Smorynski of Intel Capital has been named an advisor to the PrecisionHawk board of directors. Based in Indianapolis, Raleigh, North Carolina and Toronto, PrecisionHawk is an unmanned aerial systems and remote sensing platform. It was founded in 2010. Update: The company said the partnership with Intel Capital will enhance its product development and engineering to meet the technology needs of clients.
3 min read · 04 November 2014
Blue Ant Media Inc has bought a majority stake in Choice TV, a private independent television network in New Zealand. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Founded in 2012, Choice TV offers programs focused on travel, outdoors, food, home décor, real estate, comedy and drama. The network said the investment will allow it to strengthen its content development strategy and enhance its programming schedule. Blue Ant, a Toronto-based media business, is backed by Relay Ventures, Kensington Global Private Equity Fund and Difference Capital Financial.
2 min read · 03 November 2014
Biotherapeutic company Zymeworks Inc recently closed its previously announced funding at a gross amount of around $17.3 million. The investment came from a mix of new and existing backers. Zymeworks’ venture capital investors include Advanced Biotechnologies Venture Fund and CTI Life Sciences Fund. Concurrent with the deal announcement, Zymeworks said it has expanded a strategic collaboration with Eli Lilly and Co (NYSE: LLY) to develop novel bi-specific antibody therapeutics using its platform. The potential US$375 million partnership will include an equity investment by Eli Lilly in the Vancouver-based company.
2 min read · 03 November 2014
Israeli venture capital firm Peregrine Ventures recently sold about 28.2 percent of its shares in Neovasc Inc (TSX: NVC), a Canadian specialty medical device company that develops products for the cardiovascular market. The investment stake in the company was acquired by Fidelity Investments for US$12 million. Peregrine retains more than 71 percent of its holdings in Neovasc, which was previously known as Medical Ventures Corp. In 2008, the latter company acquired Neovasc Medical Ltd and B-Balloon Ltd, two portfolio companies of Peregrine.
2 min read · 03 November 2014
For several months, the rumour mill has been buzzing with speculation that RBC Venture Partners’ principals Robert Antoniades and David Unsworth were on the cusp of launching a new partnership. Well, it has finally happened. In October, the principals completed a buyout of RBC Venture Partners’ investment portfolio and raised LP capital for a brand new Canadian venture capital firm: Information Venture Partners.
3 min read · 03 November 2014
Wesley Clover International is partnering with Invest Ottawa and PARTEQ Innovations to invest in technology startups in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. Through the federal government's Canada Accelerator and Incubator Program, Wesley Clover and its partners will receive up to $7.7 million in funding over the next five years to provide entrepreneurs in the region with resources to develop their business plan, seek follow-on financing, and establish international markets for their products. Based in Ottawa, Wesley Clover is an angel investment firm.
5 min read · 31 October 2014
Maple Leaf Angels, a group of high net worth individuals who invest in early-stage technology companies, has launched MLA48 LP, a new angel investment fund. MLA48 will focus on providing value-added financing to startups in information, communication and entertainment sectors in southern Ontario. The fund commits to making decisions about prospective investments within 48 hours. Accredited investors that are affiliated with the newly formed Maple Leaf Angels Corp will be able to participate in the fund's investment opportunities. Founded in 2007, Maple Leaf Angels is based in Toronto.
4 min read · 31 October 2014
Brickstream Corp has acquired location analytics company NOMi for an undisclosed amount. Brickstream, an in-store analytics platform based in Atlanta, Georgia, said the transaction creates an integrated business that provides a complete view of customer activity across both digital and in-store channels. Founded in 2000, Brickstream is backed by a number of venture capital firms, including Canada's RBC Venture Partners and the U.S.-based Columbia Capital and Mohr Davidow Ventures. NOMi was also venture-backed.
3 min read · 30 October 2014
